Cavaliers general manager David Griffin called it an “angst-ridden 30 days.”
The Cavaliers made a verbal agreement to trade swingman Andrew Wiggins to the Timberwolves for Kevin Love on July 25, Griffin said. That was the date the Cavaliers signed Wiggins to a four-year contract.
As per league rules, the teams had to wait 30 days after that date before they could consummate the Love deal.
“It was an angst-ridden 30 days to be honest with you,” Griffin said.
They finally announced the three-team blockbuster deal Aug. 23. It wasn’t until Griffin sat down at Quicken Loans Arena during the ArenaBowl that he was able to relax.
“It finally dawned on me what had really transpired,” he said.
What transpired is the Cavaliers have added one of the elite power forwards in the NBA.
Love, a three-time All-Star, was introduced to the Cleveland media Aug. 26 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.
“Anything can happen at any point during trade discussions,” Griffin said. “I’ve been in situations where I’ve had a verbal agreement with a team and backed out on the trade. Those things are always in the back of your mind.”
The 6-foot-10, 243-pound Love will earn $15.7 million this season. He will then become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
But it sure doesn’t appear like he’s going anywhere.
“Well, that is something that hasn’t been talked about, but like I told Griffin in our meetings and (Cavaliers majority owner) Dan Gilbert as well, and the powers that be in the front office and all the way down, that I’m committed to this team, committed long term to the end goal and that is to win championships and to win a championship here in Ohio,” he said.
Griffin said there is no guarantee Love will re-sign. They cannot get something like that in writing.
“I see it as a risk in that they could have a miraculous turn of thought,” he said. “These guys are committed to the same thing the franchise is. There’s no doubt in my mind we’re going to be together in the future.”
Griffin said he started talking to the Timberwolves about acquiring Love a year and a half ago.
He never gave up.
The Cavaliers will have arguably the best starting unit in the NBA. They have surrounded the “Big Three” with veteran role players. Once the team has learned to play together, it could make a run at an NBA championship this season.
“We have the ability to make sustained runs,” Griffin said. “Kevin is going to be 26. Kyrie is 22. LeBron will be 30.
“We have the ability to grow that nucleus over a long period of time.”
The day James signed with the Cavaliers, July 12, he called Love. He wanted his former Olympic teammate to come aboard in Cleveland.
Love didn’t need much convincing. He replied to James, “I’m in.”
“LeBron, obviously, is somebody who makes a great deal of these things possible by his presence alone,” Griffin said. “His greatness as a player, his ability to make other people better, and to put us in a position to win I’m sure spoke greatly to Kevin, and obviously, drives all of us. So that piece had a great deal to do with, I’m sure, Kevin’s comfort in joining us and viewing us as a long-term relationship.”
Because Love’s No. 42 was retired with the Cavaliers, he will become just the fourth player in franchise history to wear No. 0 (the others are Lari Ketner, Jeff McInnis and C.J. Miles).
“All respects to Nate Thurmond,” he said. “I really appreciate him and pay my homage to him for having the conversation of allowing me to wear the No. 42. But I thought this was a chance for me to one, start fresh, and two, pick a new number that would suit me. So I went all the way back to my grass roots and my first number I ever played with.”
Love was more of an inside player early in his career. Last year, 36 percent of his field-goal attempts were from behind the arc.
“I just think that’s where the game is going,” he said. “You’re seeing that European influence over the past 10 to 15 years in the NBA. I always looked at that type of player, No. 41, Dirk Nowitzki. I loved his game. He was able to rebound, was able to shoot the ball and be able (to play with his) back to the basket. I knew I’d be a better commodity for any team in any system if I was as tall as I am and also being able to play inside and outside. I just mentioned I can fit any system, and I think I will fit in (Cavaliers coach David) Blatt’s.”
Griffin admits it was difficult to deal Wiggins, and to a lesser extent Anthony Bennett. But once James came aboard, there’s more of a pressure to win now.
“It was difficult (trading Wiggins),” Griffin said. “But it became clear the type of team we had the potential to be.
“We did what we did for the right reasons. (Wiggins is) 19. LeBron is 30.”
Quick shots
n Former Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas is not making a comeback, his agent said.
n Griffin said he’s in search of a backup center and maybe a third-string point guard.
“We’re not done by a long shot in terms of what we have to add to the team,” he said. “We would love to add someone that is more of a rim protector for us. Maybe even a backup point guard is something we’ll look at.”

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About the Author

Bob has covered the Cavs for The News-Herald and Morning Journal since 1995. He's a graduate of Kent State University and New Philadelphia High School. Reach the author at rfinnan@morningjournal.com
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